Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). This step is crucial as it ensures that your cake bakes evenly. While the oven heats up, you can prepare your bundt pan.
Coat a bundt pan with cooking spray and dust it with 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar. This not only prevents the cake from sticking but also creates a lovely caramelized crust.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Whisking helps to combine the dry ingredients evenly.
In a large mixing bowl, cream 3/4 cup of butter at medium speed until it becomes light and fluffy. This process is key to incorporating air into the batter, resulting in a lighter cake.
Gradually add 2 cups of granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, beating until well blended. The mixture should be smooth and creamy.
Add 3 large eggs one at a time, ensuring to beat well after each addition. This step is crucial for emulsifying the mixture.
Now, add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture alternately with 1 cup of 2% reduced fat milk, starting and ending with the flour mixture. This will help maintain the cake's structure while keeping it moist.
Beat gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing, as this can lead to a dense cake.
Spoon 2/3 of the batter (about 4 cups) into the prepared pan. This will serve as the base layer for your cake.
In the remaining batter, add 3/4 cup of chocolate syrup and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda. Stir gently until blended. This will create the chocolate layer.
Spoon the chocolate batter on top of the vanilla batter in the pan. Swirl gently with a knife to create a marbled effect if desired.
Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Once done, cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. This allows the cake to set before transferring it.
Carefully remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. This helps avoid soggy bottoms.
For the ganache, place 8 ounces of chopped chocolate in a bowl. In a small saucepan, bring 3/4 cup of heavy whipping cream and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar just to a boil.
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for one minute. Then, whisk until smooth and stir in 2 tablespoons of butter until melted.
Drizzle the ganache over the cooled cake, or serve it over individual slices for an elegant touch.